State Rep. David Gomberg filed for reelection in House District 10, the longtime representative announced Thursday.
“I’m deeply concerned about the state of politics today,” Gomberg (D-Otis) said through a press release. “The extreme views of a few are getting in the way of cooperation, compromise and the common-sense solutions that our communities really need. I understand that people are hurting and that we face many challenges — rising prices, housing and child care, climate and wildfires, health care, mental health and crime. If we want to solve these problems, we have to work together. Our enemy is not the other party, it is division and extremism.”
House District 10 stretches across all of Lincoln County and parts of Benton and Lane counties, including cities such as Philomath, Lincoln City, Newport, Junction City and Florence.
Philomath has been included in Gomberg’s district since January. Before redistricting, Rep. Dan Rayfield (D-Corvallis) had represented Philomath.
“Rep. Gomberg is one of the most effective and respected members of the House,” Rayfield, who serves as House speaker, said in the press release. “He has worked across party lines to support rural infrastructure, rural economic development and rural housing. He has really delivered for his district. The voters of House District 10 should be proud of their representative and return him to Salem for another term.”
Rayfield announced last month his plans to run for attorney general.
Gomberg, who has served as a representative since 2013, serves as the vice chair of the budget-writing Ways and Means Committee. Over the past five years, he has steered more than $100 million to the district for ports, water and sewer systems, parks, cultural plazas, welcome centers, rebuilding fire-damaged roads, rodeo stands, the fishing fleet, maritime industries and community colleges.
“I have stood up to Portland and stood up for rural and coastal Oregon. I’m proud to have had a role in fixing Highway 20, in building a world class marine science center, of acquiring funding for rural housing and homelessness, finding money to replace our most vulnerable dam, supporting wildfire survivors, and even in creating a special license plate to celebrate our Oregon Coast,” he said.